Head lamp upgrade

Started by Bigdog, Sep 21, 2023, 07:16 PM

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Bigdog

Are these worth changing from the original ones, thanks

Alan Drover

Any lighting upgrade is a good idea. I'm using LED's.
See and be seen is a good saying in these days of modern car lighting. The days of the original dim headlights are for the purists but I prefer safety.
Series 3 Owner but interested in all real Land Rovers.
"Being born was my first big mistake."
"Ça plane pour moi!"

Bigdog

Yeah trying to keep it original but maybe this might be a good upgrade

Adam1958

I just run the original Lucas lenses with LEDs in from classic car LEDs, the do a BPF fitment so goes straight in. They seem pretty good.

Alan Drover

I use LED's in Wipac plastic lights with the pattern in the reflectors and clear lenses. The lights don't rust.
Series 3 Owner but interested in all real Land Rovers.
"Being born was my first big mistake."
"Ça plane pour moi!"

IanS2A

Quote from: Adam1958 on Sep 21, 2023, 08:36 PMI just run the original Lucas lenses with LEDs in from classic car LEDs, the do a BPF fitment so goes straight in. They seem pretty good.

Have you got a link?


Mr Ed

In my brother's LR I installed Hella, with an H4 halogen bulb.

This brand is characterized by its good optics, personally I was very happy.
 Additionally, I wired relays to ensure they receive good voltage and take care of my light switch.


When purchasing these types of lights, you must make sure that it is the optic for drivers who drive on the right or left, as the case may be, since the lighting patterns are different.

Buy this focus.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155488049934?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=21527-227144-2056-1&mkcid=2&itemid=155488049934&targetid=296227501805&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=20160&poi=1031436&campaignid=19957998899&mkgroupid=149539536442&rlsatarget=pla-296227501805&abcId=&merchantid=101684749&gclid=Cj0KCQjw06-oBhC6ARIsAGuzdw3ba1slUrjXpK8vZxw_NUS2cUlEbzkiOSQnDS8p2E9Odba0YlQATuEaAh_AEALw_wcB
Everyday better...
88 Station Wagon 1966
Ex Army

island dormy

   Since you've got them you may as well install them, those E4s have a very good beam pattern they show the ditch nicely and have a sharp cut off so you dont blind oncoming traffic like LEDs do today.

  I've had  a pair in every 2 lamp round headlight car I've ever owned.
 I used relays this time in the 1962 to also protect the light switch since they are getting hard to find and are expensive to boot.
 I've never used relays in any other car and have not had problems if using the correct legal wattage bulbs.

  Victor
1962 Dormobile in the family since 1964
1969 NADA Dormobile 2.6L #800 out of 811 NADAS built

Alan Drover

The advantage with LED's is the low current. My headlight bulbs are about 24 watts each meaning the current is only 4 amps  total on main beam thus doing away with relays. I think the total current consumption of all my LED lights is probably about 6 amps. A single halogen bulb is 5 amps on main beam.
Series 3 Owner but interested in all real Land Rovers.
"Being born was my first big mistake."
"Ça plane pour moi!"

Bigdog

I don't have any lights yet, just the existing ones which I might put in different bulbs

John

#11
Quote from: Adam1958 on Sep 21, 2023, 09:02 PMhttps://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/products/bpf-p36d-437-368-370-414-led-headlight-upgrade-6-12-and-24-volt-negative-or-positive-earth-great-beam-strength-and-pattern?_pos=1&_sid=cbb14d3db&_ss=r

These are the chaps.
I fitted a pair of these in my 86" with the original Lucas headlamps, whilst bright the glare and scater of light, I think caused by the glass headlamp markings, was dreadfull and I removed them and sent them back.
In my view these were NOT a good idea
Used to be "oilstain" on old forum

Calum

I run Wipac Quadoptics in my daily drive 88". Brilliant beam pattern, H4 bulbs. Plastic reflector which doesn't rust (I got fed up of replacing units every couple of years!) but better still they're dirt cheap used because people keep pulling them out of Defenders to fit ghastly aftermarket LED units.

Adam1958

Quote from: John on Sep 22, 2023, 08:43 AM
Quote from: Adam1958 on Sep 21, 2023, 09:02 PMhttps://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/products/bpf-p36d-437-368-370-414-led-headlight-upgrade-6-12-and-24-volt-negative-or-positive-earth-great-beam-strength-and-pattern?_pos=1&_sid=cbb14d3db&_ss=r

These are the chaps.
I fitted a pair of these in my 86" with the original Lucas headlamps, whilst bright the glare and scater of light, I think caused by the glass headlamp markings, was dreadfull and I removed them and sent them back.
In my view these were NOT a good idea

Interesting. My experience of them is pretty good. Possibly depends on the condition of the glass and reflector? Or brand of LED bulb?

Herald1360

Those LED bulbs look to be projectors in their own right. If so, they'll be fine behind clear lenses (assuming that their native beam patterns are OK) but could suffer badly from beam scatter if they're used behind any sort of prismatic lens.

The advertising blurb doesn't mention whether they're actually type approved, either. Directly replacing filament bulbs with LED ones is not as simple as it seems- a filament is a reasonable approximation to a point source radiating equally in all directions whereas a LED is more of a unidirectional source and multiple LEDs far from a point source too.